David Fincher is reportedly in talks with Netflix to develop an English-language adaptation of their hit South Korean dystopian thriller series Squid Game.
The Fight Club director, 62, has worked with the streaming service on several previous projects including the serial killer series Mindhunter and the 2023 assassin movie The Killer.
Deadline reports that sources tell them Fincher is currently developing a version of Squid Game that would likely be set in the US, and he could make it his priority in the new year.
The Independent has approached Netflix for comment.
The original Korean-language series of Squid Game debuted on Netflix in 2021 and was a major hit. It received critical acclaim and topped viewership charts around the world, with Netflix estimating that it was watched by over 142 million households within the first 28 days it was available.
The second season is set to arrive on Netflix on December 26 this year.
Created by Hwang Dong-hyuk, the series focused on a group of cash-strapped contestants fighting to the death for a life-changing sum of money.
The series was officially renewed in 2022 during Netflix’s fourth-quarter earnings call, with Ted Sarandos saying Squid Game would “absolutely” be getting a second season, adding, “the Squid Game universe has just begun”.
Last November, the streamer debuted the first season of its spin-off reality game series, Squid Game: The Challenge, which similarly saw 456 money-desperate individuals compete in various children’s games, based on those featured in the show, for a chance to win $4.56m – the biggest jackpot in TV history.
A week later, The Challenge was renewed for a second season.
Squid Game was not only a massive hit with viewers, but with the Television Academy’s voting body as well.
It became the first non-English language drama series not only to receive several nominations in major categories at the Emmy Awards, including Best Drama, but its star Lee Jung-jae became the first Korean actor to win the Best Actor award.
Hwang also became the first Asian director to win in the Outstanding Drama Series category and the first ever director to win for a non-English language series.
“It took 12 years to bring the first season of Squid Game to life last year,” Hwang wrote on X in 2022. “But it took 12 days for Squid Game to become the most popular Netflix series ever. As the writer, director, and producer of Squid Game, a huge shout out to fans around the world. Thank you for watching and loving our show.”
